ICN: In my HC James has ADD/ADHD and can therefore come across as quite obnoxious and difficult but like his namesake, he just has some growing up and slowing down to do and he's really quite a sweetheart.

HAIR: black.

EYES: brown.

WAND: spruce, phoenix feather, twelve and three quarter inches.

James Potter stuck his tongue out at his stern-faced cousin as he progressed another few steps in the line of first-years be Sorted, shoving his sticky hands deeper into his pockets. Molly stared back, unimpressed, but he could see the crossness lurking behind her calm expression. Her light blue eyes, seething with irritation, betrayed her. She didn't hate him, exactly, but James knew that if she could pick one person to be her only cousin in her house for her second year, it would definitely not be him. There was no chance that he would be Sorted anywhere but Gryffindor and the knowledge grated on her as much as it delighted him.

He grinned, gleeful at the thought of the pranks he would play on Molly and her undoubtedly stuck-up friends. He could definitely get his Dad's weirdo goddaughter Abigail, too; she was sat opposite Molly and she looked like she'd scare easily. Maybe a giant jelly spider, one of the twitching ones, on her breakfast dish. The possibilities were endless. If only Fred were here with him. One more year and they would be together in Gryffindor, an unstoppable force of chaos. Not to mention Dom, who was pretty cool for a girl and was surely a textbook lion too. The Three Musketeers, like in the muggle story.

He had already tried to buy a red and yellow scarf in Diagon Alley, instead of getting his parents to send one after he'd been Sorted like most children did. Scoffing at his father's concerned expression, he had waved aside his mother's worry that he was setting himself up for disappointment if he didn't get into Gryffindor.

"I know you're sure, sweetheart, but don't you think it'd be better to just wait and see?"

"It doesn't have to Gryffindor," his Dad had chimed in. Mum had nodded her head in agreement. James had rolled his eyes and tossed the scarf into the basket following them around Malkin's, narrowly missing hitting his little sister in the face.

"Just because Al's going to be in Slytherin doesn't mean all your kids are going to be disappointments," he had said matter-of-factly, ignoring the horrified look on his younger brother's face. Dad's usually kind green eyes had flashed in anger then. Needless to say, James had not received his customary sundae at Fortescue's. Or the scarf.

He hadn't meant to bring Albus into it at all, but it was always hard not to where his Dad was concerned. Albus was practically a Mini-Me of Harry, earnest and determined and stubborn, and looked just like him too. Right down to the bloody glasses and the faintly olive-toned skin, where James had inherited his mother's perfect vision and her lighter, freckled complexion. Albus and their father got on so well that James, loud and brash and even more hot-tempered than his fiery mother, continually felt like the third wheel. It wasn't as though his father didn't try, though. And when it was just the two of them, practicing Quidditch passes in the garden or teasing Mum until she threatened to hex them both, everything was great. But Albus –unwittingly of course – always seemed to stumble in and immediately claim their father's attention. At least Albus couldn't be called Harry's favourite, thought James with a touch of dark humour; Lily, the ultimate Daddy's Girl, could boast that title.

James shook his head, aware that he was scowling. He had better things to think about than his wimpy little brother, or his even wimpier little sister. Casting his eyes over the rest of the Gryffindor table, he amused himself for a time imagining what pranks he might play on whom, as well as picking out the girls he thought were the prettiest. He snorted as he followed several of the boys' gazes across to the Hufflepuff table, where Victoire was giggling with her friends, brand new Prefect badge gleaming on her robes. Teddy, who wore a matching badge, was looking studiously bored and achingly cool next to her, with his messy turquoise hair and his tiny silver hoop on the outer shell of one ear. He was glancing at Vic frequently, being overly casual if she spoke to him. It was clear to the whole family that finally, after years of obliviousness and then denial, it had dawned on Teddy that he was best friends with the most gorgeous young woman he was likely ever to meet.

James had to admit that he himself would probably be mesmerised by Vic too if she wasn't his annoyingly maternal cousin and all that his silly little sister twittered on about; Lily adored Victoire. At fifteen the willowy young woman was somehow even more stunning than her mother, despite the Veela blood being more diluted in her veins. He supposed it was some kind of throwback. His eyes wandered back to the Gryffindor table to a decidedly less enchanting sight: Abby Dursley. James had only met his distant cousin twice before she'd gotten a surprise Hogwarts letter, but she'd been around to visit three times during the summer, only once with her parents. Her father was his Dad's cousin and even though the two of them got on fairly well, James knew about his Dad's unpleasant childhood with the Dursleys. Mum didn't much like Dudley, or his skittish squib wife; James had overheard her telling Dad so. Dad had replied that Dudley had changed a lot and pointed out that they were godparents to Abby. For some reason, Dad seemed really protective of sad-eyed, soft-voiced, hunch-shouldered Abigail.

James jumped to attention as Professor Vector called his name. Stepping forward, he gave a silly little bow as the Hall swept with whispers about his father. As he straightened up he saw Vic shaking her head with amusement whilst Teddy grinned wolfishly; Molly was scowling as usual, but Abby was wearing a faint smile. He sauntered up to the stool and hopped onto it with ease, beaming at Professor Longbottom at the teachers' table. His self-assured smile only grew as the Hat barely brushed his head before booming out its confirmation:

"GRYFFINDOR!"